THE environment agency is cracking down on a local business after pollution was spotted being dumped into a canal.

The Friends of Slough Canal took pictures of gallons of white liquid being dumped into the canal from an underwater pipeline, between St Mary’s Road bridge and Trenches Bridge, on Monday of last week.

The member who spotted the discharge, Diane Richards, said she was “horrified to see a white substance being discharged profusely into the canal from one of the units in the Deseronto Trading estate.

She said: “Photos don’t do justice to the quantity which is pouring in.

“This is the exact spot where dead fish were found floating some years ago.”

The group immediately reported the incident to the Environment Agency, which proceeded to investigate the source.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “We received a report to our incident hotline of a white substance in the Grand Union Canal on Monday, March 26. The pollution appeared to be entering the canal from a pipe close to St Mary’s Road.

“We have been investigating potential sources, including communicating with businesses on the nearby trading estate.

“A probable source has been identified and we will now be working with the polluter to prevent further polluting discharges.

“The incident has been assessed as minor and there is no evidence of aquatic life being affected.

“We are also liaising with our partner organisations to monitor any impact to the canal.”

The Environment Agency said that any suspected pollution should be reported to its 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060.